Government Historic Estates Unit

This page introduces the Government Historic Estates Unit (GHEU) and its work advising government departments and other public bodies about how to look after the historic buildings in their care.

The government owns and looks after a large estate of historic listed buildings and scheduled monuments across the country, which includes some of our most important and treasured historic sites.

The buildings and places within the government’s estate range from the Palace of Westminster in London to buried archaeology in forests and rural areas. It also includes places protected as conservation areas, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, wreck sites and World Heritage Sites.

Maintenance work being done to the clock face of Elizabeth Tower, colloquially known as Big Ben

Who we are and what we do

The Government Historic Estates Unit (GHEU) is a small, dedicated team which helps government departments and other public bodies, such as the Royal Household, to look after the historic buildings and structures in their care.

Many of these sites are working offices and palaces, which require constant maintenance and attention, but also need to meet modern working and living standards.

Planning advice

We advise on planning cases for specific listed buildings and scheduled monuments owned by the government in London and Windsor.

These include the Occupied Royal Palaces, from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle, and certain government buildings in London, such as the Palace of Westminster, the Foreign Office and the Royal Courts of Justice.

We work collaboratively with government departments, offering expert advice at all stages of the planning process in order to help look after and enhance the historic buildings in their care.

As a team, we:

Give detailed informal advice at an early stage on proposals to develop or change government-owned historic buildings and maintain active discussions throughout the application process

Our guidance The Disposal of Heritage Assets advises on how best to ensure that heritage values are properly accounted for when government bodies are disposing of surplus land.

Whilst many local authorities are taking a close look at the property they own with a view to making savings, legislative changes mean that communities are able to take a much more active role in their local area. Pillars of the Community: The Transfer of Local Authority Heritage Assets focusses on how these two principles come together and how historic buildings can be transferred from public to community ownership.

Managing Heritage Assets guides property and estates managers in government departments on how best to look after their historic buildings. It explains how planning repairs systematically and carrying out regular inspections leads to better value for money and avoids unnecessary harm to irreplaceable historic buildings.